Hello I'm a vw guy but recently am intrested in getting a jeep cherokee as more of a usable camping, trail 4 door vehicle. I'm planning on putting the tdi motor from my 2001 golf into the vehicle and just looking for some basic information from the experts on whats the good models and transmissions. It needs to be older than a 2001, 4 door, 4x4 and a cherokee. id prefer a automatic but i dont know the jeeps track record with automatics. so basically im just asking for any info on transmissions, automatic or manual and whats good and whats not. thanks in advance. hope to be posting here more with a real build soon.

 

Just some basic info jeep used a manual tranny i believe was 87 to 89 what was called the puegot BA-10 5 speed which was a bad tranny then they switched to an internal slave cylinder AX-15 till 93 when they made an external slave cylinder and was used until 2000 when switched to a NV 3550 all of those were backed behind the 4.0 and the automatics for the 4.0 was called the AW4 which is known to be a good tranny for the cherokee add a tranny cooler and that tranny will go a long way correct me if im wrong on the manual tranny specs 1984-only : Borg-Warner T-4 4-speed manual, used with 2.5 L I4 only, 21 spline output.
1984 – 1987 : Aisin-Warner AX4 4-speed manual, used with 2.5 L I4 only, 21 spline output.
1984-only : Borg-Warner T-5 5-speed manual, used with 2.5 L I4 and 2.8 L V6, 21 spline output.
1984 – 2000 : Aisin-Warner AX5 5-speed manual, used with 2.5 L I4, 2.1 L I4 diesel, and 2.8 L V6, 21 spline output.
1987 – Mid-1989 : Peugeot BA-10/5 5-speed manual used with 4.0 L I6, 21 spline output.
Late-1989 – 1999 : Aisin-Warner AX15 5-speed manual, used with 2.5 L I4 diesel, 4.0 L I6, 23 spline output.
2000 – 2001 : New Venture Gear NV3550 5-speed manual, used with 2.5 L I4 diesel, 4.0 L I6, 23 spline output.
[edit]Automatic transmissions
1984–1986: Chrysler A904 3-speed automatic, used with 2.5 L I4 and 2.8 L V6.
1987–2001: Aisin-Warner AW-4 4-speed automatic, used with 4.0 L I6.
1994–2000: Chrysler 30RH 3-speed automatic, used with 2.5 L I4.
[edit]Transfer cases
All the transfer cases used on the Cherokee were chain driven with aluminium housings. Command-Trac was standard on XJ models built with 4WD.
1984–1987: New Process NP207 "Command-Trac", part-time only, 2.61:1 ratio with low range
NP207 has the following settings:
1987–2001: New Process NP231 "Command-Trac", part-time only, 2.72:1 ratio with low range
NP231 has the following settings: 2HI, 4HI, N, 4LO
1987–2001: New Process NP242 "Selec-Trac", full-time/part-time, 2.72:1 ratio with low range
NP242 has the following settings: 2HI, 4 full-time, 4 part-time, N, 4LO

 

I think 87 was the last year the BA was used. I know in 89the they had the AX. I just looked at one Saturday with the AX.

And moving from build thread to Chat.

 

I just re read to verify mid 89 was the last year of the BA - 10

 

Well the automatics are not the same as the wranglers as i see. Im planning on using a hpa conversion kit so I'm gonna have to used a manual. here is a link to the converion kits and kits they are making at this time. http://www.hpamotorsports.com/tdiconversions.htm which of the manuals listed would handle some nice low end torque in the range of 300+ ft/lbs. they have kits for the ax5 and ax15. i would imagine they are the same as the cherokees versions.

 

Parted out a '89 4.0 2wd 2dr that had the peugeot in it.